The Khmer National United Party had planned to hold a rally at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park but were blocked from entering the site by authorities because the ruling CPP had already booked the venue.
“The campaign should be held at Freedom Park, but somehow the police closed the gate and only allowed us to gather in front of the park,” said Nhek Bun Chhay, the party’s president.
The ruling CPP had also requested the space at Freedom Park in Russey Keo district for their campaign, according to Sim Dony, chief secretariat of the Phnom Penh Municipal Election Committee.
“About that issue, it is because the CPP had requested for their election campaign at that place too,” Dony said. “I helped facilitate with authorities to let them go inside, but maybe it was time for them to march for the campaign, they hurried to leave and we have this issue like you ask me. But it is just a misunderstanding.”
Supporters of the ruling CPP, which held a massive rally across the city in Koh Pich, could not be seen at Freedom Park.
CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan said that each party needed to inform the National Election Committee several days in advance of their campaign site.
“Whoever informs first will get the place first, whoever comes late will get second,” he said.
Deputy Secretary General of the Khmer National United Party Tip Teav said he had informed the National Election Committee about the party’s gathering at Freedom Park.
“We noted that in the early morning we did not see the gate closed, but as the rally became more and more [people] the gate closed. I did ask the Phnom Penh municipal security guard, they said we can’t get in,” he said.
Teav told CamboJA the party had decided as a result to hold their rally of several hundred outside the park and disrupted traffic. But he added that his party accepted the situation and did not seek to cause any issues.
“For the Khmer National United Party we still don’t mind and are not angry about this small stuff, that they banned us, this is our moral view and we try to find the middle way to avoid the argument.”
At the rally, Bun Chhay told supporters that his party seeks to reform Cambodian society by promoting human rights, social justice and eliminating corruption.
“We are preparing to change society from injustice to justice, a pure society for our nation to live in harmony,” he said.
Forty-year-old Yun Vuthy said he is passionate about the party’s mission to improve social justice and human rights and standards of living.
“I’m sincere, that’s why I came to enjoy [the policy], I want justice, and now the economy is down I can’t earn much money,” Vuthy said.
Vuthy said he expected the party to help the poor access better healthcare.
“The new prime minister can help to reduce [medical expenses], we do not have much money, but doctors demand a lot, we can not afford medical expenses,” Vuthy said.
Vice president Yem Ponharith told the crowd that voting for his party promotes “real democracy in Cambodia.”
